Trade and Labour Migration: Developing Good Practices to Facilitate Temporary Labour Mobility
20th – 22nd April 2007 • Co-organised with National Centre for Competence in Research
Labour mobility has the potential to be most important driver of sustainable economic growth and development for many developing countries. Revenues generated by the remittances of nearly 200 million migrant workers amount to approximately US$130 billion per year. This exceeds the volume of official development aid, and in certain cases, even foreign direct investment or revenues from the export of goods and other services. For labour-receiving countries, there is also substantial evidence that in view of actual and expected labour shortages, particularly in OECD countries, labour migration can confer important benefits, provided they are managed properly. The ever-expanding international trade in goods and services likewise feeds the need for labour mobility, as production seeks the most efficient factor sources. As a contribution to fostering better understanding among the various stakeholders from both sending and receiving countries on developing good practices to facilitate labour and mobility, ICTSD and NCCR are organizing this workshop. The issues to be discussed will include: (a) the international and multilateral foundations of labour migration; (b) examples of good practices of sending countries to facilitate return migration; (c) examples of law and practice of receiving countries in facilitating labour mobility; and (d) what can be learned from bilateral agreements.